Sub menu

Main menu

7 Reasons Sleep Is More Important Than You Think

March 27, 2014

Sleep is that precious state of the body when everything falls quiet and unwinds in utter bliss! From time immemorial, man has spoken about this blissful state in prose, poetry, through art and even in music.

Unfortunately, lack of sleep is a scourge in modern society that has led to several psychological and physical debilities. Thus, sleep is a very important requirement of the mind-body complex, and one that cannot be ignored at all.

So, why is this important physiological activity so critical for us…Let’s look at 7 reasons sleep is more important than you ever thought.

1. Sleep Prolongs Life!

To put it simply, sleep is critical to the mind and body because it rejuvenates our internal organs and in a sense gives them a break from the constant work. Be it the brain, the skin or the digestive organs, every part needs to relax and come back fresh to function better. In fact research has shown that those who get less than 5 hours of sleep are more prone to fatal heart attacks and even loss of memory. Thus if you sleep well, you will live longer.

2. Improves memory

Believe it or not, but sleep helps you remember names, numbers and even activities that require practice. During sleep the mind ‘consolidates’ whatever it has ‘seen’, ‘learnt’ or ‘heard’. This way, after a good night’s sleep you will perform better, whatever you have memorised.

3. Minimizes Inflammations

Inflammations in the body are related to diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart ailments and premature ageing. When sleep is adequate, the body recuperates and protects your body from these diseases.

4. Spurs Imagination

If you want to spur creativity, sleep for at least 6-7 hours every day! Just as practiced skills are memorised better, sleep also helps expand the mind and strengthen our emotions – which together augment creativity.

5. Gain More Stamina

It’s not only food and exercise that help us gain muscles and stamina, but sleep too is a crucial ingredient in strengthening muscles and bones and giving us more energy. A Stanford University study found that football players who got at least 10 hours of sleep during the games, performed better on field the next day.

6. Increases Focus

Sleep helps us calm the nerves and the mind’s constant ‘chatter’. When the body and mind are relaxed, we can focus better, because our alertness also improves. Research shows that people with less sleep usually suffer from attention deficiency and are hyperactive and impulsive.

7. Gain the Ideal Body Weight

Sleep and metabolism are two sides of the same coin as it were. Adequately rested individuals have better metabolism and thus tend to have an ideal body weight. Over worked minds and bodies affect hormones associated with appetite. As a result, we either eat less or more and eventually become overweight or emaciated when we sleep less.

Whether you want to be a winner, stay healthy or keep your skin glowing even in old age – you need proper sleep, and of course the right kind of bed linen and pillows too.

Truly sleep is the simplest way to staying strong, both emotionally and physically! Now who wuld have thought of that.